Mail receiving and delivering apparatus.



L. P. HARVEY. MAIL REGBIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1909.

Patented Jan. 4,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER P. HARVEY, OF CHARLCITTE CiOUB'I HOUSE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO BENJAMIN F. BEDINGER, F CHARLOTTE COURT HOUSE, VIRGINIA.

MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER P. HARVEY, of Charlotte Court House. in the county of Charlotte and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receiving and Delivering Appara- Ins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a mail-receiving and delivering apparatus capable of being readily adjusted and held in different positions, and which embodies means whereby the mail receptacle may be adjusted relatively to its support without interference by the latter.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the mail receptacle out of receiving position. Fig. 9 is a side view showing the mail receptacle extended. Fig. 8 is a view of the supporting bracket.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a plate which may be secured to the face of a post or to the side of a house; and 2, 2 are brackets extending from plate 1 near the upper and lower ends thereof, the horizontal portions of such brackets being formed with openings to accommodate two vertically disposed guide rods 3, which latter may be threaded at their opposite ends to accommodate retaining nuts 1, or any other suitable means may be employed for retaining these guide rods in place.

5 designates a horizontally-disposed sectorlike plate having two openings to accommodate the guide rods 3 and also having a depending portion 6 secured by web 6' to its underside, such portion 6 having an opening to accommodate one of the guide rods.

This plate may be raised and lowered and held atany desired point by a set screw 7 working in the depending portion 6 and engaging the guide rod passed therethrough.

8 designates a mail-receiving and delivery receptacle which is mounted on the outer member of a two part or telescopic arm 9. The two members of this arm are preferably of right angular formation so that one may slide upon the other, and one of the members Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 9, 1909.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Serial No. 501.109.

is shown as provided with a longitudinal slot 10 to accommodate screws or lugs 12 of the other member. The inward movement of the outer member of the telescopic arm is preferably limited by the mail receptacle 8 contacting with the outer end of the inner arm member, such receptacle being secured to the right angular face of the outer member by retaining screws 13. hen so moved inwardly the inner end of the outer member does not extend to the sector plate, and in consequence the latter does not in any way interfere with the adjustment of position of the mail receptacle. The inner member of the telescopic arm is pivotally secured by a nutted bolt 14 to the sector plate t and is capable of being moved over an arc of a circle. When in its normal position, parallel to the roadway, the inner member of the arm will rest in a groove or depression 15 formed in the upper face of the plate so that the weight of the arm will make it impossible for the receptacle to be blown out of its normal position. Two stops 16 limit the movements of the swinging arm. The outer member of the latter carries a rod 17 which i is spaced apart therefrom a short distance and serves to protect the arm and mail receptacle from injury should the carriers vehicle start up before the carrier has moved the box into its normal position. Any portion of the vehicle striking such rod will force the arm to one side without danger of injuring the apparatus.

When the mail carrier is mounted on horseback, as in the winter season when the roads are bad, it is necessary that the apparatus be at a higher point than when mail is delivered in wheeled vehicles. Hence, by adjusting the position of the sector-like plate on the guide rods the mail receptacle may be brought onto a higher plane within convenient reach of the carrier. On the other hand, when the latter employs a wheeled vehicle the position of the receptacle and its support will be lowered.

The use of this apparatus will be manifest from what has been stated. Normally the receptacle and its pivoted supporting arm are parallel to the roadway. When a carrier approaches the apparatus he pulls the supporting arm outwardly at right angles to the road so that he may View the box from above, as required by the postal regulations. After removing and depositing mail matter he returns the receptacle and its support to their normal positions. As before stated, should the carriers wheeled vehicle start prematurely there is no danger of the apparatus. being injured by any portion of the vehicle striking the box or its support, since engagement will be had with the guard rod and at the same time the box and its support will be moved to the side of the road. If the condition of the road necessitates the receptacle being thrown outwardly a greater distance than ordinarily required this is readily accomplished by sliding the outer member outwardly. On the other hand, when such member is moved inwardly such inward movement is limited by the contact of the receptacle with the outer end of the inner member, and the supporting plate will not interfere with such telescopic movement.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a support having two spaced apart parallel guide rods, of a. horizontally disposed plate having openings to accommodate said guide rods, means for holding said plate in different positions on said rods, a mail receptacle, and a support therefor composed of two telescopic members to one of which such receptacle is secured, the other member being pivotally secured to said plate.

2. The combination with a support having two spaced apart parallel guide rods, of a horizontally disposed sector-like plate having openings to accommodate said guide rods, means for securing said plate in difi'erent positions on said guide rods, said plate eaases having a groove or depression therein, a mail receptacle, a support therefor composed of inner and outer telescopic members, said receptacle being secured to the outer member, and the inner member pivoted at its inner end to the upper side of said plate and designed when in its normal position to rest in said groove or depression, and stops on said plate for limiting the inward and out ward movements of said support.

3. The combination with vertically disposed guide-rods and a support theret'or, of a. sector-like plate having a depending portion, said plate having openings to accom modate said guide rods, and said depending portion having an opening to accommodate one of said guide rods, a set screw for engagin g one of said guide rods, a mail receptacle, and a support thereforpivoted at its inner end to said plate.

4. The combination with the plate, of the mail receptacle, the support therefor composed of inner and outer telescopic members,

to the outer one of which said receptacle is secured, the inner member being secured to said plate, said receptacle forming a stop to limit the inward movementof the outer member on the inner member, and a guard to said outer member and extending throughout the length thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUTHER P. HARVEY. Vitnesses JNo. B. Finns, T. R. ADAMS. 

